skip navigation
Southern Avra Valley Storage and Recovery Project (SAVSARP)

SAVSARP Background

The Southern Avra Valley Storage and Recovery Project (SAVSARP) will be constructed on about 3-½ square miles of former agricultural land near the intersection of Sandario Road and Snyder Hill Road. These lands were generally in agricultural production from the 1950s until their purchase and retirement by the City of Tucson in the 1970s. From that time to the present, groundwater pumping from the area has been one of Tucson Water's various sources of potable water supply

There have been measurable groundwater level declines in the SAVSARP area. This water level decline coupled with the Utility's need to bring its Central Arizona Project (CAP) water allocation into full use have lead to the decision to implement SAVSARP.

Proposed Project Description

The Initial Phase of SAVSARP is being designed to recharge and recover up to 60,000 acre-feet per year of Colorado River water delivered via the Central Arizona Project. The proposed facility will consist of the following elements:

  • Central Arizona Project turnout
  • Raw water delivery system(s)
  • Nine recharge basins totaling about 220 acres
  • System controls and data acquisition
  • Facility monitoring networks including monitor wells and piezometer nests
  • Twenty to thirty production wells
  • A reservoir/booster stations and recovery pipelines

The facility already is equipped with a well field for recovery that will be expanded over time. In addition, the currently proposed facility is being designed such that expansions of the recharge components can be permitted and readily implemented in the future.

Project Objectives

The proposed project will aid the City and Tucson Water in meeting the demand for potable water supply. The specific objectives of this project are:

  • Increase the volume of CAP water recharged/recovered by Tucson Water;
  • Provide increased opportunities for water banking;
  • Provide a closer tie between CAP water storage and wet water recovery infrastructure;
  • Support Tucson Water's efforts to decrease reliance on mined groundwater supplies; and
  • Demonstrate access to additional renewable water supply under the City's Assured Water Supply Designation.

For additional information about recharge projects and activities: